Two level indexing method for accessing data blocks having first pointer to single location containing second pointers to the data blocks

ABSTRACT

Mass data is managed as data files in a mass data storage device. Each data file is formed or plural data blocks. Upon editing of a data file, the data content of each data block forming the file is examined. If the data content of a data block is less than a predetermined value, data from one or more adjacent data blocks is extracted and placed in the one data block so that the data content thereof will be at least the predetermined constant value. In this manner, the data content of blocks forming a file is maintained at or above a predetermined level.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a file management apparatusand method for managing as a data file a large amount of information,such as picture data or audio data, to effect an editing operation.

In recent years, the information processing system has been used in theprocessing of digital audio data and digital moving picture data. Assuch, the need has arisen to manage such a large quantity of data as acomputer file to facilitate high speed editing of the data.

It is particularly desired that the data management apparatus and methodbe capable of managing the data in a processable form at a high speed.

The conventional embodiment of the above described data managementapparatus and method will be described hereinafter with reference to theFIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram of the conventional data managementapparatus.

Referring to FIG. reference numeral 21 denotes a storage means forstoring the data, reference numeral 22 denotes an input-output means forinputting and outputting the data into and from the storage means 21,and reference numeral 23 denotes a management means for managing thedata stored in the storage means 21 via the input-output means 22.Reference numeral 24, located within the management means 23, denotes adata management means for dividing the memory areas in the storage means21 into a plurality of blocks of constant size and for managing eachblock, and reference numeral 25 denotes a block management means formanaging a plurality of blocks as one file.

The operation of the conventional data management apparatus asconfigured above and the conventional data management method will now bedescribed.

The data management means 24 within the management means 23 managesadjacent memory areas in the storage means 21 as a block. The blockmanagement means 25 obtains for the respective blocks storage locationinformation in the storage means 21 from the data management means 24,and manages logical concatenation information so that one file may beconfigured of a plurality of blocks.

When an access operation is effected to output one file, the managementmeans 23 first refers to the block concatenation information for each ofthe files managed by the block management means 25. Then, informationdenoting the location within the storage means 21 of the respectiveblocks is obtained from the data management means 24 to drive theinput-output means 22 to sequentially access the respective blocksstored in the storage means 21, so that the data of each blockconfiguring the file from the storage means 21 may be sequentiallyoutputted.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the relationship between the data managementinformation of the management means 23 and the data of the storage means21. The operation of the management means 23 will now be described.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 21 denotes a storage means for storing thedata, reference numeral 26 denotes a system memory for storinginformation for effecting the data management, reference numeral 27denotes one file in the storage means 21 composed of data blocks 27a,27b and 27c. Reference numeral 28 denotes a data block address storagepart, which is located in the system memory 26, storing the storagemeans addresses of the data blocks 27a, 27b, 27c configuring the file27. The block management means 25 obtains the address denoting thestorage location of the data blocks 27a through 27c from the datamanagement means 24 and respectively stores them at the elements 28a,28b, 28c of the data block address storage part 28.

The management means 23 reads respectively from the composing elements28a, 28b, 28c of the data block address storage part 28 the storagemeans 21 addresses of the data blocks 27a, 27b, 27c configuring the file27. The management means 23 may manage the file 27 through accessing ofthe storage means 21 in accordance with read address information, numberinformation and sequential information thereof.

The editing of the file will now be described by way of an example ofthe depletion of a data block from the file. When the data block 27b isdeleted from the file 27, the management means 23 deletes the element28b storing the address of the data block 27b from the data blockaddress storage part 28 so as to write the address of the data block 27cstored in the element 28c into the element 28b of the data block addressstorage part 28. The data block 27b is deleted from the file 27 in thismanner.

However, in such a method as described above, in a worst case all theelements 28a, 28b, 28c constituting the data block address storage part28 must be rewritten in the editing operation of the file. When thenumber of the data blocks constituting the file 27 increases, suchediting operations can severely hamper the processing speed of thesystem, thus creating a problem in that the demand for high speedediting of a mass file cannot be satisfied.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide anapparatus and a method for digital data management, which is adapted tomanage computer mass data files to be processed without interruptionupon input and output operations so as to easily obtain high speedprocessing.

In accomplishing this and other objects, the present invention iscomposed of a storage means for storing data, an input-output means forinputting and outputting the data with respect to the storage means, anda management means for managing the data of the storage means. Themanagement means is composed of a data management means which managesadjacent areas in the storage means as data blocks and which alsodivides the interior of each block into a plurality of areas to managethem, a block management means which manages according to concatenationinformation one or more blocks stored in the memory means, and aregulation means which receives the information about the concatenationstatus of plurality of blocks and the internal status of each block fromthe data management means and the block management means to drive theinput-output means for moving one or all portions of the data of oneblock from another block in the storage means.

In accordance with the above, the data management means manages theadjacent areas in the storage means as data blocks, and further, divideseach block interior into data storage areas and empty areas to managethem. The block management means receives the information regardingstorage locations of the blocks in the storage means from the datamanagement means, and manages the concatenation information so as toconfigure one file from one or more blocks. Further, the regulation meaninvestigates the size of the data storage area of a block from the datamanagement means. If the size of the data memory area of the block issmaller than a predetermined value, information regarding storagelocation in the storage means of the adjacent blocks used to configurethe file is received from the block management means, and also,information is received regarding the size of the data storage areas andthe empty areas of the adjacent blocks from the data management means.Thereafter, the regulation means drives the input-output means so as tomove onto the block one or all portions of the data from one or moreadjacent blocks, so that the size of the data storage area within theblock may be normally regulated to at least the predetermined constantvalue which is determined by the performance of the storage means andthe input-output speed of the data in the input-output means, and whichis sufficient to effect real-time sequential data inputting andoutputting operations in the input-output means.

This makes it possible to provide an apparatus and a method for digitaldata management which are adapted to manage on a computer mass data asfiles to be processed without interruption upon input-output operationsso as to easily effect the processing operation at a high speed.

As described hereinabove, an apparatus and a method of digital datamanagement of the present invention, which makes it possible to inputand output the data without interruption upon input-output operations bythe management, into the constant value of a proper size, of the datastorage area within the block using the regulation means.

Also, since the existence of empty areas is allowed within the blockmanaged by the data management means, the increase and decrease of thedata to be caused by the editing of a file may be easily absorbed simplyby the change in one portion of the file, thus making it possible toprocess even mass data at high speed without any requirement of theregular data rearrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description taken in conjunction withthe preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a construction conceptual diagram for illustrating anapparatus and a method for digital data management in one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between managementinformation of the management means and information stored in thestorage means;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram for illustrating the file editing methodof the present invention;

FIGS. 4(a) and (b) are conceptual views for illustrating the blocksmanaged according to one embodiment;

FIGS. 5(a) and (b) are conceptual views for illustrating the blocksmanaged according to another embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing one example of the operation of theregulation means in the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing another example of the operation of theregulation means for the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a construction conceptual diagram for illustrating theconventional apparatus and method for digital data management; and

FIG. 9 is also a diagram showing the relationship between managementinformation of the conventional management means and information storedin the storage means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to benoted that like parts are designated by like reference numeralsthroughout the accompanying drawings.

An apparatus and a method for digital data management in one embodimentof the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference tothe drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of the datamanagement apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a storage means for storing data,reference numeral 2 denotes an input-output means for inputting andoutputting the data of the storage means 1, and reference numeral 3denotes a management means for managing the data in the storage means 1via the input-output means 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a datamanagement means for managing the data in the storage means 1 as aplurality of data blocks of a constant size, reference numeral 5 denotesa block management means for managing a plurality of data blocks as onefile, and reference numeral 6 denotes a regulation means which isadapted to receive information from the data management means 4 and theblock management means 5, and to control the input-output means 2 toaccess the data of logically adjacent blocks.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between managementinformation of the management means 3 and information stored in thestorage means 1.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a storage means for storing thedata as files, reference numeral 12 denotes a system memory for storinginformation used by the management means 3 to manage the data files, andreference numeral 13 denotes one file in the storage means 11 composedof data blocks 13a, 13b and 13c. Reference numeral 14 denotes a blockorder storage part, located in the system memory 12, in which the blockmanagement means 5 stores the order of the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13cconfiguring the file 13 stored in the storage means 11, referencenumerals 14a, 14b, 14c denotes data blocks address storage parts inwhich the data management means 4 stores the storage means 11 addressesof the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c, and references numeral 15 denotes ablock order address storage part in which the block management means 5stores the system memory 12 addresses of the block order storage part 14and the number of the data block order address storage partsconstituting the block order storage part 14.

In accordance with the construction as described hereinabove, a methodof managing the data as files in block units to be managed by the datamanagement means 4 will be described.

First, the management means 3 reads the addresses in the system memory12 of the block order storage part 14 and the number of data blockaddress storage parts constituting the block order storage part 14 fromthe block order address storage part 15 using the block management means5. Then, the block order storage part 14 is accessed in accordance withthe address of the read block order storage part 14 so as to read theaddresses of the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c in the storage means 11 fromthe data block address storage parts 14a, 14b, 14c within the blockorder storage part 14. The order of the data blocks configuring the file13 is the same as the order of the data block address storage parts 14a,14b, 14c stored in the block order storage part 14.

In this manner, the system may identify the storage means 11 addressesof the data blocks 13a, 13b, 13c configuring the file 13 and the orderof the data blocks constituting the file 13, and may thus manage thefile 13 in the storage means 11.

A method of editing a block unit of the digital data will now bedescribed.

FIG. 3 shows a conceptual diagram after the deleting and editingoperations have been effected so as to illustrate a method of editingthe data file.

In FIG. 3, reference numerals 11 through 15 are the same as those ofFIG. 2. Reference numeral 15a denotes a first element of the block orderaddress storage part 15, and reference numeral 15b denotes a secondelement of the block order address storage part 15.

An explanation will be effected by way of an example, where the datablock 13b is deleted from the file 13.

In order to delete the data block 13b from the file 13, first, thenumber of the data block address storage parts in the block orderstorage part 14, which is stored in the first element 15a of the blockorder address storage part 15, is changed from three to one. Then, thesystem memory 12 address of the data block address storage part 14storing the address of the data block 13c is stored in the secondelement 15b of the block order storage part 15, and also, the number ofthe data block address storage parts is stored as one. The deletionediting is completed.

The accessing operation into the file with the editing being completedin this manner is performed as follows. First, the management means 3reads the first system memory 12 address stored in the block orderstorage part 14 and the number of the data block address storage partsconstituting the block order storage part 14 from the first element 15aof the block order address storage part 15 using the block managementmeans 5. Also, the management means 3 reads the second system memory 12address stored in the block memory 14 and the number of the second datablock address storage part constituting the block order storage part 14from the second element 15b of the block order address storage part 15using the block management means 5.

Then, in accordance with the first address of the read block orderstorage part 14, the block order storage part 14 is accessed through theblock management means 5, and reads the address of the data block 13a inthe storage means 11 from the data block address storage part 14a withinthe block order storage part 14. Further, in accordance with the secondaddress of the read block order storage part 14, the block order storagepart 14 is accessed through the block management means 5, and reads theaddress of the data block 13c in the storage means 11 from the datablock address storage part 14c within the block order storage part 14.The order of the data blocks configuring the file 13 is the same as theorder of the data block address storage parts to be read from the blockorder address storage part 15 and the block order storage part 14.

In this manner, the management means 3 may identify the storage means 11addresses of the data blocks 13a, 13c configuring the file 13, and theorder of the data blocks configuring the file 13, and may thus managethe file 13 after the deleting and editing operations have been effectedin the storage means 11.

A method of managing the data by much smaller units than the block unitsusing the data management means 4 will now be described.

FIGS. 4(a) and (b) show conceptual views of a plurality of blocksconfiguring one portion of the file on the storage means 1 of FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 4(a) and (b), reference numerals 31 through 34 and referencenumerals 35 through 37 respectively denote discrete blocks arranged inthe storage means 1. They are logically adjacent each other to configureone portion of the file. Each data block is divided internally into aplurality of areas, the various hatched portions identified by referencenumeral 38 through reference numeral 41 show such data storage areashaving data stored therein, and the blank portions identified byreference numeral 42 through reference numeral 45 show empty areas nothaving data stored therein. Reference numeral 46 shows the size of thedata storage area in which the regulation means 6 effects the regulatingoperation into a constant value.

FIGS. 5(a) and (b) show other conceptual views of a plurality of blocksconfiguring one portion of a file in the storage means 1 of FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 5(a) and (b), reference numerals 51 through 54 and referencenumerals 55 through 57 denotes blocks each being arranged discretely inthe storage means 1, and logically adjacent each other to constitute oneportion of a file. The interior of the block is divided into a pluralityof records. A data storage record which is hatch as identified byreference numeral 58 has a record stored therein, and a data storagerecord which is blank as identified by reference numeral 59 is empty.Reference numeral 60 show the number of the data storage record in whichthe regulation means 6 effects the regulating operation into theconstant value.

The operation of the data management apparatus of the present inventionand the method for data management will now be described with referenceto FIGS. 1, 4(a), 4(b) and 6.

The data management means 4 within the management means 3 manages theadjacent areas in the storage means 1 as blocks, conceptually shown asthe block 31 through the block 34 of FIG. 4(a).

The data management means 4 further divides the interior of the blocklogically into data storage areas and empty areas to manage them. Theblock 31 shows an example where the block interior is divided into adata storage area 38 having data stored therein and an empty area 42 nothaving data stored therein. In this diagram, although the data storagearea starts from the head of the block, it may start from the halfwaypoint of the block. Also, a plurality of data storage areas and emptyareas may exist within the block.

Also, the size of the empty area may be zero.

The block management means 5 obtains information regarding the positionin the storage mean of the respective block from the data managementmeans 4, and manages the logical concatenation information to configureone file from one or a plurality of blocks.

FIG. 6 shows one example of the operation flow of the regulation means6.

The regulation mean 6 receives information regarding the size of thedata storage area of one block from the data management means 4 (StepS1). If the size of the data management area of the block is smallerthan the constant value (Step S2), the information of the adjacentblocks configuring the file is obtained from the block management mean5, and information regarding the size of the data storage area and theempty area of the adjacent blocks from the data management means 4.Thereafter, the regulations means 6 drives the input-output means 2 sothat one portion or all portions of the data may be moved into the blockfrom one or more adjacent blocks so as to normally regulate the size ofthe data storage area within the block into at least a constant value.

Now, assume that the size of a block is 16 k byte and the constant valueof the size of the data storage area within the block the regulationmeans 6 is set to 12 k byte. FIG. 4(a) shows a condition where a blockhaving a data storage area which is smaller than the constant value hasbeen caused by a change in the file. The size of the data storage areaof the block 31 is 4 k byte, the size of the data storage area of theblock 32 is 14 k byte, the size of the data storage area of the block 33is 12 k byte, and the size of the data storage area of the block 34 is12 k byte. Since the data storage area of the block 31 is 4 k byte andis less than the established constant value, the regulation means 6obtains information about the logically adjacent block 32 from the datamanagement means 4 and the block management means 5. The regulationmeans 6 adds the size of the data storage area of the adjacent block(Step n3), and sequentially examines the remaining adjacent blocks untilthe addition result become larger than a multiple of the establishedconstant value and smaller than a multiple of the block size (Step n4).In the example shown in FIG. 4(a), the addition result of the datastorage area sizes when the examination is effected up to an includingblock 33 becomes 4 k+14 k+12 k=30 k, which is larger than 12 k×2=24 kand smaller than 16 k×2=32 k. The regulation means 6 moves 11 k byte ofdata from the block 32 to the block 31 to constitute the block 35 ofFIG. 4(b). Also, 12 k byte of data is moved from the block 33 to theblock 32 to constitute the block 36. The changing or moving of data isnot required after the block 34. In this manner, the regulation means 6changes a plurality of blocks shown in FIG. 4(a) to those shown in FIG.4(b) so that the size of the data storage area within each block is atleast the constant value (Steps n5 and n6).

The operation of the apparatus for digital data management and a methodfor digital data management in another embodiment of the presentinvention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 5(a), 5(b) and 7.

The data management means 4 within the management means 3 manages theadjacent areas in the storage means 1 as blocks shown conceptually inFIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) as blocks 51 through 57.

The data management means 4 further divides the interior of each blockinto one or more data storage records 58 and into zero or more emptyrecords 59 so as to manage them.

Although fixed length records are shown, the records may be variablelength. Also, the data storage records may start from the halfway pointof the block, and need not be located adjacent each other within theblock.

The block management means 5 obtains information regarding the positionin the storage means 1 of each block from the data management means 4 soas to manage the logical concatenation information so that one file maybe configured from one or a plurality of blocks.

FIGS. 7 shows another example of the operation flow of the regulationmeans 6.

The regulation means 6 receives the information regarding the number ofdata storage records of one block from the data management means 4 (Stepn1) and compares the number of data storage records with a constantvalue (Step n2). If the number of the data storage records of the blockis smaller than the constant value, information regarding the adjacentblocks configuring the file may be obtained from the block managementmeans 5 and information about the number of the data storage records andthe empty records of the adjacent blocks from the data management means4. Thereafter, the regulation means 6 controls the input-output means 2so as to move records into a block from one or more adjacent blocks sothat the number of data storage records within the block is normallyregulated into at least the constant value.

Now, assume that the record number capacity within each block is 12, andthe constant number of the data storage records within each block is setto eight records. FIG. 5(a) shows a condition where a block having anumber of data storage records which is less than the constant value hasbeen caused by a change in the file. The number of data storage recordsof the block 51 is 4, the number of data storage records of the block 52is 10, the number of data storage records of the block 53 is 8, and thenumber of data storage records of the block 54 is 8.

Since the number of data storage records of the block 51 is 4 and isless than the predetermined constant value 8, the regulation obtainsinformation regarding the logically adjacent block 52 from the datamanagement 4 and the block management means 5. The regulation means 6sequentially examines the remaining adjacent blocks (Step n3) until thesum of data storage records of the adjacent blocks is larger than themultiple of the determined constant value and smaller than the multipleof the block size. In the example, when the examination is effected upto and including block 53, the sum of the number of data storage recordsbecomes 4+10+8=22, which is larger than 8×2=16, and smaller than12×2=24. The regulation means 6 moves the data of seven records from theblock 52 to the block 51 to constitute the block 55 shown in FIG. 5(b).Also, eight records are moved from the block 53 to the block 52 toconstitute the block 56. Such changing or moving of records is noteffected after the block 54. In this manner, the regulation means 6changes a plurality of blocks shown in FIG. 5(a) to those shown in FIG.5(b) so as to effect the regulating of the number of data storagerecords within each block to become at least the constant value.

When the block interior has been divided into a plurality of fixedlength records, the data movement unit between the blocks is limited torecords, but the amount of information managed by the data managementmeans 4 will lessen.

A secondary storage apparatus, which is generally used, such as magneticdisk, optical disk or the like, will be used for the storage means 1,11. Although these apparatuses require seeking upon access into eachblock, the data amount within the block is managed at the constant valueof the proper size by the regulation means 6. As the proper size, forexample, a buffer of two block portions is provided on the input-outputmeans 2 so that the data may be inputted and outputted withoutinterruption upon the input-output operations.

Although the size of the data storage area within the block to beregulated by the regulation means 6 and the number of data storagerecords, namely, the data amount within the block, may be optionallyset, it may also be determined according to the performancespecifications of the storage means 1, 11, and according to thenecessary data output speed as in the equation (1),

    Lb=Vo·Vr·Ta/(Vr-Vo)                      (1)

wherein Lb is a size (byte) of the data storage area, Vo is a dataoutput speed, Vr is a disk transfer speed (byte/second), Ta is a diskaccess time (second).

When a standard magnetic disk having a 52 ms disk access time and 960Kbyte disk transfer speed is to be used for the storage means 1, 11, and170K byte/second is required in the continuous output speed of the datafrom the input-output means 2, the size of the data storage area will doif it is 11K byte or more.

In the present embodiment, although the data of one block is inputtedand outputted at one access into the storage means 1, 11, two or moreblocks may be inputted and outputted.

Also, in the apparatus and the method for digital data management of thepresent invention as the existence of the free area is allowed withinthe block managed by the data management means 4, the increase and thedecrease of data caused by the editing of the file ma be easily absorbedsimply by the change in the one portion of the file, and the data is notrequired to be periodically arranged.

The size of the data storage area of the block which is less than theconstant value in the data storage area is assumed to be Eo, the size ofthe data storage area of the blocks logically adjacent to the block areE1, E2, . . . Ej, with the addition of them being represented by Sj.Assume that the constant value to be regulated by the regulation means 6is Rmin, the block size is Rmax, and the size of the data storage areawithin all the blocks has only to be Rmin or more and to be Rmax orless. If the minimum j which satisfies the equation (2) is obtained, thenumber j+1 of the blocks necessary for the regulation of the block whichis less than the constant value Rmin in the size of the data storagearea may be obtained.

    N×Rmin≦Sj≦N×Rmax                 (2)

In the equation (2), N is an integer of 1 or more. Since O<Rmin<Rmax,and O≦SO<Rmin, it is possible to prove the equation (3) from theequation (2).

    j≦Rmax/(Rmax-Rmin)                                  (3)

As the j which may be obtained from the size Rmin of the data storagearea and the block size Rmax show a finite part from the equation (3),the regulation means 6 may retain the size of the data storage area ofall the blocks at the constant value or more by the movement of the datafrom the block of the finite part.

Since the seek time into the next block does not have to be taken intoconsideration regarding the final block configuring the file, the sizeof the data storage area in this block may be lower than the constantvalue.

Also, the size of the data storage area to be regulated by theregulation means and the number of data storage records may be differentfor each file. In this case the block management means 5 retains thisinformation.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be notedhere that various changes and modifications will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise such changes andmodifications depart from the scope of the present invention, theyshould be construed as included therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A data management method comprising the computerimplemented steps of:managing, using data management means, each of aplurality of logically adjacent storage areas of a storing meansrespectively constituting a plurality of data blocks by storingaddresses of the data blocks in plural respective data block addressstorage parts of a block order storage part; managing, using blockmanagement means, at least one data block as a data file based onconcatenation information of the at least one data block according toaddresses stored in the block order storage part, and storing addressinformation of the block order storage part containing the data blockaddress storage parts and a number of the data block address storageparts of the block order storage part in a block order address storagepart; and reading, using management means, the address information ofthe block order storage part containing the data block address storageparts and the number of the data block address storage parts of theblock order storage part stored in the block order address storage part,accessing the block order storage part in accordance with the thus readinformation to obtain an address of a data block of the storing means,and accessing data in the storing means via an input-output means inaccordance with the thus read address of the data block.
 2. A datamanagement method comprising the computer implemented steps of:managing,using data management means, each of a plurality of logically adjacentstorage areas of a storing means respectively constituting a pluralityof data blocks by storing addresses of the data blocks in pluralrespective data block address storage parts of a block order storagepart; managing, using block management means, at least one data block asa data file based on concatenation information of the at least one datablock according to addresses stored in the block order storage part, andstoring address information of the block order storage part containingthe data block address storage parts and a number of the data blockaddress storage parts of the block order storage part in a block orderaddress storage part; and editing, using management means, one of saiddata of the storing means by rewriting an address of the data blockaddress storage parts of the block order storage part corresponding tosaid one data block to be stored in the block order storage part and thenumber of data block address storage parts of the block order storagepart stored in the block order address storage part.
 3. A datamanagement method comprising the computer implemented steps of:managing,using data management means, each of a plurality of logically adjacentstorage areas of a storing means respectively constituting a pluralityof data blocks by storing addresses of the data blocks in pluralrespective data block address storage parts of a block order storagepart; managing, using block management means, at least one data block asa data file based on concatenation information of the at least one datablock according to addresses stored in the block order storage part, andstoring address information of the block order storage part containingthe data block address storage parts and a number of the data blockaddress storage parts of the block order storage part in a block orderaddress storage part; reading, using management means, the addressinformation of the block order storage part containing the data blockaddress storage parts and the number of the data block address storageparts of the block order storage part stored in the block order addressstorage part, accessing the block order storage part in accordance withthe thus read information to obtain an address of a data block of thestoring means, and accessing data in the storing means via aninput-output means in accordance with the thus read address of the datablock; and editing, using management means, one of said data block ofthe storing means by rewriting an address of the data block addressstorage parts of the block order storage part corresponding to said onedata block to be stored in the block order storage part and the numberof data block address storage parts of the block order storage partstored in the block order address storage part.
 4. A data managementmethod comprising the computer implemented steps of:managing, using datamanagement means, each of a plurality of logically adjacent storageareas of a storing means respectively constituting a plurality of datablocks by storing addresses of the data blocks in plural respective datablock address storage parts of a block order storage part, andidentifying within each data block at least one data area having datastored therein and any empty areas not having data stored therein;managing, using block management means, at least one data block as adata file based on concatenation information of the at least one datablock according to addresses stored in the block order storage part, andstoring address information of the block order storage part containingthe data block address storage parts and a number of the data blockaddress storage parts of the block order storage part in a block orderaddress storage part; receiving, using regulation means, concatenationinformation of the plural data blocks of the data file and informationregarding a data size of the data areas within each data block of thedata file and a data size of each data block of the data file, and fordriving an input-output means to move data areas of one data block ofthe data file to another data block of the data file so as to maintainat least a predetermined constant data size of the combined data areasof each data block of the data file, the predetermined constant datasize being determined based on performance characteristics of saidstoring means and a data input-output speed of said input-output meansto effect real-time sequential data input-output operations; reading,using management means, the address information of the block orderstorage part containing the data block address storage parts and thenumber of the data block address storage parts of the block orderstorage part stored in the block order address storage part, accessingthe block order storage part in accordance with the thus readinformation to obtain an address of a data block of the storing means,and accessing data in the storing means via said input-output means inaccordance with the thus read address of the data block; and editing,using management means, one of said data blocks of the storing means byrewriting an address of the data block address storage parts of theblock order storage part corresponding to said one data block to bestored in the block order storage part and the number of data blockaddress storage parts of the block order storage part stored in theblock order address storage part.